WHITEBLADE

by H A CULLEY

  ‘Rònan ab Teàrlaidh. My father was King of Lewis, an island to the north of Skye.’

  The boy fingered the chaffed skin around his neck where the rough wood had rubbed it raw. Not unnaturally, he’d hated the collar and he was delighted to be rid of it. He looked at Oswald and nodded his thanks.

  ‘I see. Will he pay to get you back?’ Oswald asked.

  ‘I shouldn’t think so; you pigs killed him on Coll. My uncle will be king now and he’ll want me dead so I’m not able to challenge him when I’m older.’

  ‘Well, Rònan ab Teàrlaidh, it looks as if we’re stuck with one another. One word of warning though. If you bite me, I’ll set the dogs on you and you’ll find out what it’s really like to be bitten.’

  ‘Don’t worry. You I like; not these swine, though.’

  The boy grinned at him and Oswald couldn’t resist giving him a half smile in return. Connad and Lorchan had listened to this exchange, first with anger at the boy’s temerity, then with admiration at the easy way Oswald had won him over. The king looked at Oswald with new eyes. The boy was dangerous. He was clever, cunning and people liked him. Moreover, they would follow him. Oswald was a threat and one way or another, Connad determined to get rid of him.

  ~~~

  Oswald had intended to return to his mother’s hut to complete his convalescence, but he didn’t entirely trust Rònan yet and he wasn’t sure it was sensible to expose his two youngest brothers and his sister to him. Nor did he want the two of them to live in a hut with other warriors. They would tease Rònan and order him about. He would undoubtedly react badly and with weapons lying about, that just wouldn’t be sensible.

  So Oswald decided to build a small hut for just the two of them. The weather was fine and, being spring, it wasn’t too cold at night, so they slept outside until the hut was built. Rònan and Oswald went out to cut saplings for the end walls and Oswald found that the exercise, whilst painful, helped to develop the muscles in his right side. He selected five straight trees to form the frame to hold the roof in place and watched whilst Rònan chopped them down. He borrowed a horse to drag the trees back to the building site, once he and the boy had trimmed the branches from the trunks.

  Next they enlisted the help of Oswald’s friends to erect the frame. The following day they put the uprights for the walls in place at each end and wattle was woven in between the uprights to form the two walls. They mixed water and earth to make mud and plastered the wattle to make the walls. Once this had set hard, it would keep out the wind and the rain.

  When they had finished they were filthy and Rònan suddenly picked up a handful of the leftover mud and threw it at Oswald, who responded. Soon they were both covered from head to foot in the stuff and laughing their heads off. They ran down to the river to wash it off and Oswald discovered to his amazement that he’d run all that way without his side troubling him once.

  That night it rained for an hour and they both got soaked. Oswald became determined to finish the hut before the end of the next day. They went and cut a lot more saplings, which they tied in place in a grid pattern to make the frame for the roof. This would come down to the ground on the long sides of the hut, as that was the simplest construction. Finally, they worked to tie bundles of straw on top of the roof frame to form a waterproof thatch.

  That night they were exhausted, but they had their own place. Working together had cemented the bond between the two of them and Oswald found that, although Rònan was his servant, he no longer thought of him as just his slave. For his part, Rònan found that he no longer wanted to return to Lewis and kill his uncle so he could become king; he was content to stay with Oswald and serve him.

  Just as he was drifting off to sleep, Oswald decided that he would try and convert Rònan to Christianity.

  ~~~

  Working on the hut had built up the muscles in Oswald’s right side and toned up the rest of his body, which had got decidedly flabby since he’d been taking things easy. Now he wanted to get back into fighting form as quickly as possible. He started by going for a run first thing each morning. At first Rònan stayed behind and prepared their breakfast, but after a week he asked if he could come, too. His legs were shorter that Oswald’s, but he managed to keep up and as they both got fitter, Oswald found he was having to put a lot of effort into not letting Rònan beat him.

  A week later, Oswald went and joined his old friends and started practice fighting with sword and shield, sword and seax, spear and shield and with a battle-axe. At first he was a poor opponent, but as he got fitter, he started to win more bouts. When Rònan had finished his chores in the hut, he got into the habit of coming to watch.

  After a couple of weeks, the boy asked if he could join in. Oswald was dubious, but he had established a close rapport with Rònan and to reject his request would show that he didn’t trust him with a weapon, so he compromised.

  ‘We had to start our training with a wooden sword, so this afternoon we’ll go and find a suitable piece of timber and I’ll show you how to fashion a practice sword out of it. I’ll go and find mine in my mother’s hut and then I’ll start to teach you.’

  The boy’s eyes lit up and he could barely contain his excitement until the training session ended. The others thought that Oswald was mad, but he had become convinced that Rònan now identified himself more with him than he did with his former people.

  After a lunch of hard bread and goat’s cheese, Oswald and Rònan went over to Acha’s hut. The former was guiltily aware that it had been over two weeks since he had last seen his mother and siblings and the feeling intensified when Oswiu, Offa and Æbbe ran up to greet him enthusiastically. His sister even threw her arms around his legs and hugged them. Rònan smiled to see such affection, then looked sad. He had a sister on Lewis who he had been just as fond of, but he knew he would never see her again.

  Distracted, he didn’t hear Oswiu’s question. He had asked if Rònan liked being his brother’s slave. Their mother had a slave to look after them and the hut, but she was elderly, sulky and the children didn’t like her. Oswiu sensed that the relationship between his brother and his slave was rather different.

  ‘Rònan may be my servant, but he is also my friend,’ Oswald told him.

  When Rònan heard himself being described as a friend he felt elated and grinned broadly at Oswiu.

  ‘He’s going to teach me to be a warrior like him,’ he told the younger boy proudly.

  ‘Do you think that’s wise, Oswald?’ Acha asked, coming out of the hut to greet her eldest son.

  ‘There’s no-one I would trust more to guard my back, outside of my closest friends.’

  Rònan didn’t think he’d ever been happier. At that moment there was nothing that he wouldn’t have done for Oswald.

  After promising to return to eat his evening meal with his family, Oswald collected his old practice sword and he and Rònan went in search of a suitable length of wood. By the time the sun was setting, they had fashioned the rough outline of the sword, but finishing it would have to wait until the next day.

  Rònan had expected to have to fend for himself that evening, but to his delight, Oswald took him along to eat with his family. Oswiu came and sat next to him and told him how he envied him.

  ‘I can’t wait until I’m old enough to learn to be a warrior, but I’ve another two years before I am even old enough to go to Iona and then I’ve got to spend two boring years there before I can start to learn how to fight. It seems ages away.’

  Rònan was about the average size for a twelve year old boy, but Oswiu was much bigger than the norm for nine year olds. In fact, he wasn’t that much smaller than Rònan, which gave Oswald an idea. He already knew that Oswiu, although a devout boy, was destined to be a fighter, not a monk and he saw no harm in him starting early. He turned to his mother and whispered in her ear. At first she shook her head, but after a few minutes Oswald had evidently persuaded her and he turned to the two boys.

  ‘I’m too big to be Rònan’s pract
ice partner,’ he began. ‘How would you like it if I taught the two of you how to fight and you can practice together?’

  It was, of course, a rhetorical question.

  ~~~

  Aidan had missed Oswald’s friendship after he departed Iona, but a month later he cheered up when Eochaid returned, bringing with him Brother Finnian. The young monk was delighted to see his old teacher again and they spent many hours telling each other what had happened to the two of them since they had last been together.

  Eochaid, on the other hand, was not so happy. He was disappointed to find that Oswald had already left for Dùn Add and for a while he thought of following him there. Aidan pointed out the folly of that idea, as Ultan’s father was bound to demand his death as soon as he arrived. He had only been safe on Islay because Connad didn’t know he was there.

  ‘I honestly think that your best course of action is to return to your father in Ulster,’ Aidan told him. ‘Brother Finnian is returning there in two weeks’ time; why don’t you go with him?’

  Eochaid nodded. ‘Yes, at least I’m a warrior now and he can’t keep me shut away from danger; but I need to see Oswald first.’

  ‘That’s madness!’

  ‘Not if I travel there in disguise. I only want to see him and then I’ll return to Ulster.’

  ‘How are you going to do that?’

  ‘I’ve a little gold and silver now. I’ll pay a fisherman to take me and go as his assistant.’

  ‘Yes, that might work, if you’re very careful. I know which of the fishermen on the island are trustworthy – not that I think that the others would betray you – but the man I have in mind is as honest as the day is long.’

  Four days later Eochaid landed at dusk near Dùn Add and whilst the fisherman went on to the fishing settlement at the head of the sea loch to spend the night, Eochaid made his way up towards the hill fort and the sprawling mass of huts below it. He had no idea where Oswald might be living, but Osguid had explained where his mother’s hut lay.

  The inhabitants took refuge in the hill fort in the event of a raid, so there was no need for a palisade around the settlement itself. It was therefore relatively easy for Eochaid to slip into the place and find a path through the narrow passageways that ran between the huts. He made his way towards Acha’s hut in the light of the moon, but before he got there, he bumped into a boy carrying some firewood. The boy uttered a Pictish curse as a few of the logs slipped out of his arms and Eoachaid knew that he must be a slave. He breathed a sigh of relief.

  ‘Do you know Oswald?’ he asked the boy, who was muttering under his breath as he tried to pick up the dropped wood whilst keeping the rest in his arms.

  Eochaid stooped to pick up the wood for him and looked into the boy’s eyes. They had a wary look, as if the boy was frightened.

  ‘Who wants to know?’

  ‘Don’t be impudent.’

  Eochaid was about to call him slave but then he noticed that the boy didn’t have a wooden collar around his neck. Yet he had definitely sworn in the Brythonic tongue.

  ‘Fair enough. I won’t be impudent, but I won’t tell you where Oswald is until you assure you that you mean him no harm.’

  Eochaid sighed, not knowing whether he could trust this strange boy.

  ‘I’m Eochaid -’ he began.

  ‘Why didn’t you say? He’s always talking about you. Come on, this way.’

  ‘I’ve got a surprise for you,’ Rònan told Oswald as he dropped the pile of wood next to the hearth.

  ‘Eochaid? Is that really you? What are you doing here? You know that it’s not safe!’

  Rònan was pleased to hear Oswald so happy and he smiled to himself as he began to prepare the evening meal, but the smile disappeared when Eochaid asked Oswald to come with him to Ulster. He was really enjoying life at Dùn Add. Oswald was teaching him and Oswiu to fight and he had made friends with the younger boy. If Oswald left, would he take Rònan with him? If not, what would happen to him? Even if he went with him he would miss learning to fight with Oswiu and he knew that the younger boy would be devastated.

  He was so engrossed with his own thoughts that he missed Oswald’s reply. He knew he shouldn’t interrupt, but he had to know.

  ‘Will you take me with you, Oswald? What about Oswiu?’

  ‘Do you allow your slave to talk to you like that, Oswald?’ Eochaid asked, puzzled at the relationship between the two.

  ‘I do more than allow it, I encourage it. Rònan may be my servant, but he is also my friend. I’m even teaching him and my brother Oswiu to fight with sword and shield.’

  ‘To what end?’

  ‘So that he can fight alongside me. He’s too young at the moment, but he’ll make a great warrior one day.’

  Eochaid looked at Rònan with new eyes.

  ‘I see. I’ve evidently misjudged you, Rònan. I apologise. Can we start again?’

  He smiled at the boy, who nodded back, albeit somewhat sulkily. He had decided he didn’t like Eochaid, mainly because he was trying to take Oswald away.

  Oswald sensed the tension in the air and realised that the two were jealous of each other’s relationship with him. Unusually, he didn’t know what to do to resolve the situation. He wanted to go to Ulster, partly because of his friendship with Eochaid, but also because it offered the possibility of more fighting. On the other hand, he knew how disappointed Oswiu would be if he took Rònan away. There was no question in his mind that the boy would be going with him, if he went. That certainty was about to change.

  He slept fitfully that night, dozing, then waking to ponder his options. He was just about to fall asleep again when he was conscious of movement in the hut. He swivelled his head slowly and saw Rònan creep outside. Thinking he was going to take a piss, he turned over to go to sleep again, but there was something about the furtiveness of the boy’s movements that convinced Oswald that he hadn’t gone outside just to relieve himself.

  He got up quietly so as not to wake the gently snoring Eochaid and left the hut. He looked left and right and caught a glimpse of a vague shadow making its way towards the hill fort. He quietly followed Rònan until the boy stopped suddenly and stepped into the shadows. Some sixth sense must have told him that he was being followed. Oswald waited patiently and a few minutes later he glimpsed a movement in the shadows as Rònan continued to make his way towards the hill fort and the hall of Connad.

  When Rònan got to the gates, he found that they were shut for the night, but he could see a sentry on the walkway beside them. He opened his mouth to shout up to him, but before he could do so, a hand clamped his mouth shut and an arm gripped the boy tightly.

  ‘Not a sound, Rònan, or I will kill you.’

  The boy recognised Oswald’s voice and he slumped dejectedly in his arms. The latter led him away from the gate and then pushed him up against the wall of a hut.

  ‘What were you about to do, Rònan? Were you about to betray me?’

  ‘Not you, never! But I couldn’t let Eochaid take you away from me.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I know you want to go with him and you’ll leave me here as the slave of someone else. They wouldn’t treat me like you do and besides, I couldn’t bear to be parted from you.’

  Oswald had to smile to himself. The boy obviously had a bad case of hero-worship.

  ‘I was going to take you with me, as it happens.’

  ‘Oh! I thought you would want to leave me here.’

  ‘Well, you were wrong, but now I can no longer trust you. To betray one of my friends is to betray me.’

  The boy started to sob. ‘I’m so sorry. I was jealous and I wasn’t thinking straight. What will you do with me?’

  ‘I don’t know. Go back to the hut and try to get some sleep. I need time to think.’

  Oswald wandered down to the shore and gazed down the loch. He had become very fond of Rònan but he was appalled by what he had tried to do. His faith in the young Pict had been badly shaken. Perhaps he’d
been a fool to allow the boy to get close to him. His instinct was to get rid of him, but he knew how much Rònan would hate being someone else’s slave. As a general rule slaves were treated very badly, being beaten for no reason and having little or no self-respect. It would break Rònan and he suspected he would prefer death.

  The more he thought about it, the more he realised that the boy had acted out of affection for him. Perhaps part of the reason was also his developing friendship with Oswiu. He realised that his brother would be upset if Oswald left taking Rònan with him.

  Apart from the fact that his relationship with Rònan had taken a bad knock, there was the antipathy between him and Eochaid to consider. The boy didn’t know Eochaid like Oswald did and he had just seen him as a threat to be disposed of. When he thought of getting rid of his body slave, he realised that the prospect dismayed him, but he wasn’t sure that he could truly forgive and forget either. That would take time and that was one thing he didn’t have if he was going to leave.

  He eventually came to the conclusion that he would go with Eochaid, but he needed to think further about Rònan. Having made his mind up to go with Eochaid, if not about his slave, he went back to the hut to try a get a little sleep before dawn. He heard Rònan snivelling in the corner, which surprised him. The boy he knew would be too proud to cry. It convinced him that Rònan truly repented what he had tried to do.

  The next morning Oswald made his way up to the king’s hall and stood in line with the other petitioners. Eventually it was his turn to speak.

  ‘Lord King, I am pleased to say that I am fully recovered from my wound and now I seek further battle experience. I ask your permission to go and serve Fiachnae mac Báetáin in Ulster, to help him in his battle against the Uí Néill.’

  Connad looked surprised.

  ‘You must be a mind reader, Oswald. I have just received a plea from Fiachnae for me to send some warriors to help him recover the Island of Rathlin, which lies between the Mull of Kintyre and Ulster. Let me think about it and come and see me again tomorrow.’